1 The distinguished musician and writer Erwin Stein (1885/1958), who worked at Boosey & Hawkes and was Britten's close friend and adviser on publishing matters.

2 22 November: Britten's birthday.

3 The composition of the Coronation opera, Gloriana, Op. 53, was completed in December 1952.

4 Gloriana had been first performed at Covent Garden on 8 June 1953, as part of the Coronation celebrations, when the highly formal nature of the occasion did not produce a particularly sympathetic audience. Britten's letter refers to a later series of performances when the work was brought back to Covent Garden for the 1953/54 season and, as his letter suggests, warmly received.

5 This title was of course abandoned and the title of James's novel reinstated. The Turn of the Screw was first performed by the English Opera Group at Venice on 14 September 1954. It is interesting to note that although Britten did not start writing the work down until February, the opera was nonetheless on the stage by mid-September—a remarkable compositional pace, even allowing for all the preparatory thinking and planning that would have been done.

6 TEMPO NO.30, Winter 1953. Anthony Gishford was editor at that time.

7 Noye's Fludde, the composition of which had been completed the preceding December. ‘Noe’ is one spelling of Noah that appears in the Chester Plays.

8 John Andrewes: a member of the music staff at Boosey & Hawkes who was closely involved in the editing of Britten's music.